Changes
by Misha
Summary: Meredith has news that will change everything...
1. Prologue

Changes  
By Misha

Disclaimer- I don't own "Grey's Anatomy", if I did Derek and Meredith would be together, it belongs to people with a lot more money than me. I'm not making any money off of this, so please don't sue me. Thanks.

Author's Notes- This idea came to me and I couldn't get it out of my mind. It's an alternate season two. A happier one if you're a Mere/Der fan. That said, I like Addison, so she is handled nicely. This starts near the end of "Who's Zoomin' Who" and then goes the way I would have liked to see things happen.

Pairings- Meredith/Derek, minor Derek/Addison.

Summery- Meredith has news that will change everything...

Spoilers- Up to "Who's Zoomin' Who", after that I pretty much go my own way, keeping somethings, but ditching everything else.

Rating- PG-13.

* * *

Prologue

Meredith paused. She had just finished telling Derek about her mother's Alzheimerís, but she knew that she had to tell him her other secret as well. Her big, terrifying, life-changing secret.

"Derek?"

"Yeah?" He turned and looked at her with a smile.

"I'm pregnant." She blurted out.

Derek froze and just stood there staring at her.

Meredith felt her heart break. It had been going well. They had a thing, they had acknowledged that they were a couple, and now--

"Derek?" She asked hesitantly. She needed to know what he was thinking; she needed to deal with it now.

"Pregnant." He repeated. "Weíre going to have a baby."

"Yeah." Meredith told him, though she wasnít so sure.

She hadn't decided yet if she was keeping the baby. She knew the problems that awaited pregnant interns. She wanted her career and this would cause problems. Also, she knew better than anyone the pitfalls of surgeons having children. Still, there was a life growing inside of her, one that she and Derek had created together.

"Wow." Derek said, then he looked serious. "Meredith, there's something I have to tell you."

Just then, they were interrupted by the sound of footsteps, reminding them that this was no place for a private conversation.

"Later?" He asked.

Meredith nodded. "Later."

* * *

A few hours later, they exited the hospital together. 

Derek was still thinking about what Meredith had told him. A baby, they were going to have a baby. Part of him was thrilled at the idea of finally becoming a father, the other part--

This baby made so many things so much more complicated.

Just as they reached the lobby, Derek looked into the distance and froze.

_Oh, no._

This was what he had been afraid of. He turned to Meredith. ìMeredith, Iím so sorry.î

She looked confused, but before she could say anything, a tall, redheaded woman walked over the two of them.

"What are you doing here?" Derek demanded.

She shot him a look. "If you had bothered to answer my phone calls, you would know."

Derek groaned, hating himself for his cowardice. He hadn't wanted to deal with everything, so he had ignored the phone calls hoping that she would just go away. He should have known better.

He just cursed the timing; he had planned on telling Meredith as soon as they got to the trailer. Heíd been putting it off, but she had to know now before they could make plans for the future. Their future.

"Who are you?" Meredith asked.

The other woman turned to look at her with a cool smile. _Oh, no._ Derek thought again, seeing disaster in that smile, but he couldnít react in time.

"I'm Addison Shepherd and you must be the woman whoís sleeping with my husband."

* * *


	2. Part One

Changes  
By Misha

_Disclaimer and Notes in Prologue.  
_  
Part One

Meredith froze at the words. Derek was married? She turned and looked at him, her eyes full of confusion.

"Meredith, it's not what you think." He told her right away.

She just shook her head and turned and ran out of the hospital. She stood outside, just trying to come to grips with what she had just learnt. Derek was married. She was having his baby and he was married to another woman! 

Just then Derek came outside. "Leave me alone!" 

"Meredith, I was going to tell you." Derek told her.

"When?" She demanded. "What were you waiting for?"

"I was going to tell you tonight, as soon as we left here." Derek told her. "I guess, I was just waiting for the right time."

_The right time would have been four months ago, before you came home from the bar with me. _Meredith wanted to say, but didn't.

She didn't know what to say. She wanted to cry, to scream, but a part of her held back. 

She remembered earlier, after she had told Derek about the baby, he had been about to tell her then, she was sure of it. Sure that didn't make up for the fact that he hadn't told her earlier, but it meant something. It meant that she'd listen to him and then get angry.

"I'm going to your trailer, go deal with her and meet me there." She told him quietly. "You're going to tell me everything and maybe, maybe I'll choose to forgive you." 

Derek nodded. "Okay."  
--

Derek headed back inside the hospital to deal with his wife, grateful that Meredith had at least agreed to hear him out.

He was sure it had more to do with the baby than anything else. The baby. He hadn't really had a chance to think about that yet. He was going to be a Daddy.

When he got back inside, Addison was still there.

"I take it she didn't want to hear whatever you had to say." Addison said with a smirk.

"No, actually, she's going to meet me at home and we'll talk about it then." Derek said quietly.

Addison didn't say anything.

"What are you doing here, Addison?" Derek demanded.

"Richard called me; I'm here for a consult." She told him. "See, it had nothing to do with you, Derek, I'm here for work."

Derek nodded. "Fine. Keep it that way."

Addison looked at him. "I might be here for work, but it's been four months, Derek, it's time for you to stop sulking and come home."

"It's too late, Addison." Derek told her, just wanting to get this conversation over so he could go talk to Meredith.

"What because you're sleeping with some cute blonde intern?" Addison asked, raising an eyebrow.

Derek sighed, he didn't want to do it this way, but nor did he want to fight about it all night. "Because I'm in love with that intern and I'm making a life with her." Derek said quietly.

"Yet, you didn't even bother to tell her that you were married, that shows commitment." Addison sniped.

"I would have told her tonight, if you hadn't just shown up." Derek informed her.

Addison raised her eyebrow. "And what makes tonight so different, Derek?"

Derek sighed and decided to just put it out there. Maybe it was wrong to do it this way, in the lobby of the hospital where anybody could come across them, maybe it was cruel. But then, it had been wrong and cruel for him to find his wife having sex with his best friend.

"She's pregnant." He said simply, watching the stunned look come across her face. After a moment, he sighed. "Now, I have to go fix the mess you made." 

With that he walked away, not sparing Addison another look.  
--

Addison watched Derek walk away, still frozen with shock.

_She's pregnant._ The words kept repeating in her head. Derek's pretty blonde intern was having his baby.

Addison almost wanted to laugh at how the universe worked.

Babies had been the beginning of all of her and Derek's problems and now a baby would be the end of them.

She might have come to Seattle hoping to reunite with her husband, or at least get him to talk to her, but she knew that wasn't going to happen now. Derek wasn't going to leave the woman carrying his child.

Addison wondered if the intern understood what a trump card that she had. Probably not. Addison doubted that if Derek hadn't told the women that he was married, that he would have filled her on the rest. So that woman, that perky intern had no idea how precious a gift she was giving Derek.

If she hadn't been standing in a public place, Addison thought she might burst into tears.

_She's pregnant..._  
---


	3. Part Two

Changes  
By Misha

_Disclaimer and Notes in the Prologue.  
_  
Part Two

Meredith was waiting on the steps of Derek's trailer when he got there.

"You better have a really good explanation." Meredith warned him.

"I left Addison because I found her in bed with my best friend." Derek said, deciding not to lead up to it. He wasn't sure that Meredith would stick around long enough to hear the build up.

"Oh." Meredith said, taking a deep breath.

"Yeah." Derek said. "I just left. Didn't say a word. I came back a while later, when I knew she'd be at the hospital and grabbed my stuff. Then I headed to Seattle. I haven't talked to Addison since." 

Meredith just nodded, waiting for him to continue.

"So I came to Seattle and the last thing I expected was to meet the most amazing woman." Derek told her. "At first, I kept telling myself that you didn't have to know, but as we got more serious I knew you'd have to know. I had every intention of telling you, Meredith, I was going to do it tonight."

"I know." She said quietly. "That's why I gave you the chance to explain. So is it over with you two?"

"It is." Derek told her. "In a way, I'm glad Addison came here, because I can ask her in person to sign the divorce papers."

"Do you think she will?" Meredith asked softly.

Derek was quiet for a moment, suddenly wondering if he had been unfair to Addison by telling her about the baby the way he had.

_Unfair? _A voice in his head asked. _She was the one sleeping with your best friend._

Still, as true as that was, Derek knew better than most what a sore subject babies were for Addison. He also knew that she, more than anyone else, understood that this, even more so than Mark, was the death knell of their marriage.

"She'll sign." Derek assured Meredith, realizing that his marriage was truly over.

* * *

Addison sat in her hotel room, with a bottle of wine. She figured she might as well drink to the end of her marriage.

She'd come to Seattle hoping to work out her problems with Derek, but that wasn't going to happen. Derek had moved on, to a perky intern who was having his baby. The baby Addison hadn't been able to give him.

She took another sip of her drink, remembering the day the doctor, a friend and colleague, had delivered the horrible news. The news that she, Addison, a woman who loved babies, who's career revolved around babies, would never have a baby of her own.

That had been the beginning of the end of her marriage. She and Derek had dealt with the news in different ways and they hadn't been able to communicate as well anymore and one day she woke up and realized it had been months since they'd really talked.

She'd felt cut-off from her own husband and Mark was there, so she made that decision and Derek walked in and he left and he found someone else. Someone who could give him the babies that Addison couldn't.

Addison thought she might hate him, just a little bit, for telling her like that, as if it shouldn't mean anything to her. _She's pregnant._ Derek said it so casually, even as he was destroying Addison's world. 

It wasn't fair and it was made even worse by the fact that she couldn't just hop a plane back to New York. She'd made a commitment, she was here for work, not just to win back her husband, and she'd have to stay until her job here was finished. She'd have to go to work in the same hospital as Derek and his intern and try hard not to scream.

The worst part was, she couldn't play the martyr, because she'd been the one to cheat first, so she couldn't even blame Derek for finding someone else. She wanted to, she wanted to scream and curse, she wanted to hate Meredith Grey, yes, Addison really did know the intern's name, but she couldn't do that either. Meredith was the innocent in all of this, which made it all the worse.

You should be able to hate the other woman. Hell, you should be able to hate someone other than yourself.

* * *


	4. Part Three

Changes  
By Misha

_Disclaimer and Notes in the Prologue.  
_  
Part Three

"Richard, I have to talk to you." Derek said the next morning, walking into the other man's hospital room. 

Richard shot him a look. "Good, I have a few things I want to talk to you about too."

"You called Addison here?" Derek demanded. "I needed her for a case." Richard said calmly. "Do you have a problem with that?" 

"I would have liked warning." Derek said. "But other than that, I guess I should thank you. It'll make it easier to get the divorce finalised."

"So you are taking that step." Richard said.

"Yes." Derek told him. "I definitely am."

"Because of Meredith?" Richard inquired.

Derek smiled. "She told me you knew. It's not just because of Meredith, my marriage was over before I met Meredith, but she is the reason I need the divorce done as soon as possible." 

Derek paused, wondering if this was the time or the place. Yet, Richard needed to know and as soon as possible. "Richard, she, we're having a baby."

Richard stared at him and then shook his head. "You really know how to complicate a situation, don't you? It won't be easy on her, being pregnant and being an intern."

"No." Derek agreed. "But I'll be there to help as much as I can and I know she can do it, I have faith in her."

"So do I." Richard told him. "Her mother was the best and I have every faith that Meredith will be too, given the chance."

"Thank you." Derek said quietly.

"Tell her to come see me in a week or os." Richard told him. "We'll work something out, a schedule that'll allow her to keep up without overdoing it." 

Derek nodded. "I will."

"Addison's presence isn't going to be a problem, is it?" Richard asked. "For Meredith, I mean."

Derek shook his head. "No. We talked about it last night, I don't think she's thrilled, but she knows she has nothing to worry about. She's my future."

* * *

"Grey, over here." Bailey said, after she made the rounds of the hospital. 

Meredith exchanged looks with Christina and Izzie. "I wonder what I did now." She muttered, getting up to go talk to the Nazi.

"I just had a chat with the Chief." Bailey told her. "He told me about your condition." 

Meredith paled. "He knows?" She asked, sounding surprised.

"I guess Dr. Shepherd filled him in." Bailey told her. "It's good that he knows, that we both know, we're going to need to monitor your condition, make sure you don't overdo it."

"You're not going to get me in trouble?" Meredith asked, honestly a little surprised.

"You're a grown woman." Bailey told her. "It's not my place to tell you what decisions to make, though I am going to tell you that the next few months are going to be Hell on you, I hope you know that." 

"I can do it." Meredith said softly.

It was odd, yesterday she hadn't even been sure that she was going to keep the baby, but today... She couldn't help but dream of the life she, Derek and their baby were going to have. Derek had been so excited, he'd spent most of the previous night talking about the baby and making plans.

Meredith still hadn't entirely forgiven him for keeping the fact that he was married a secret, but she figured it was something they could work through.

After all, they were having a baby.

* * *


	5. Part Four

Changes  
By Misha

_Disclaimer and Notes in the Prologue.  
_  
Part Four

"So what did the Nazi want?" Christina asked Meredith during lunch.

"Uh, nothing." Meredith told her, she knew she'd have to tell her friends about her pregnancy soon, but she wanted to put it off as long as possible. 

Christina shot her look saying she didn't believe her.

"Did anyone see the new doctor this morning?" Izzie asked. "I wonder who she is."

"She's Derek's wife." Meredith said calmly.

Everyone stared at her.

"His what?" George asked, choking on his food.

"His wife." She repeated. "Her name is Addison. He's asking her for a divorce."

"He's married?" Izzie asked, staring at her.

Meredith nodded. "Yes, but it's complicated."

"So you guys have talked about this?" Christina asked her.

"Yes, we have." Meredith confirmed, seeing no reason to mention that the talking had occurred _after_ Addison had shown up.

The others exchanged looks.

"How come you didn't mention this?" Izzie asked her.

"Because I didn't think it's anyone's business." Meredith told her. "It's over, they're getting a divorce."

George looked pained.

"So McDreamy's married." Christina said consideringly.

"I wouldn't have predicted that." "It's kind of a shock, isn't it?" Meredith agreed, making a face.

"That's an understatement." Izzie commented. "You're okay with this?" 

Meredith shrugged. "I don't really have a choice, do I?" 

That was what she kept telling herself, that what was done was done and all she could do was impact the future. The future she and Derek were going to have together with their child. Addison was Derek's past, but she Meredith was his future and that wasn't going to change.

"I guess not." Izzie agreed. "I'd be furious though."

"Getting angry won't change anything." Meredith told him. "Besides, Derek's with _me_ and that's not going to change. That's all that matters."

* * *

"He's in love with her." Addison said quietly.

Richard gave her a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry, Addison, I had no idea about their relationship when I contacted you. I'd heard rumours, but... I didn't know how serious the relationship was."

"It's okay." Addison told him. "It's not your fault."

She was the one who had cheated on her husband and then come to Seattle, believing that she could get him back despite knowing he had a new girlfriend. She just hadn't wanted to believe that Derek could really be in love with someone other than her, after all they were Derek and Addison, they were supposed to be forever. He wasn't supposed to fall in love with someone else.

"I'm still sorry." Richard told her. "What happens now?"

"I finish my case and then go back to New York." Addison said softly. "Also, I give my husband the divorce he wants, what else can I do?"

It was hard to put it into words, to vocalise the end of a third of her life. She had come to Seattle, hoping to salvage that huge part of her life, save what she and Derek had shared, but now she had to admit it was too late and it was hard. 

Especially, since Derek had already moved on. He had a new life, was about to have the family he always wanted, and all Addison had were the ashes of an eleven year marriage...

Sometimes life really sucked.

* * *


	6. Part Five

Changes  
By Misha

_Disclaimer and Notes in the Prologue.  
_  
Part Five

Meredith was aware of the looks and the gossip, somehow Addison's identiy had gotten out, creating lots of speculation.

"Grey, you're with Shepherd." Bailey told her.

Meredith began to smile.

"The she-Shephered." Bailey corrected.

Meredith's face well, that was the last thing she wanted, to work with Derek's _wife_. She was trying to be accepting, but... Still, she knew better than protest. Instead, she sighed and went to find the soon-to-be-Ex-Mrs. Shepherd.

"Dr. Shepherd?" She said, gritting her teeth as she said it.

"Montgomery-Shepherd." Addison corrected her. "Soon to be just Montgomery, it appears." 

Meredith looked down at the grown. "I don't--" 

"It's okay, Meredith." Addison said quietly. "It's not your fault."

"I love him." Meredith stated quietly, not sure why she felt like she had to say it, but she did. 

"I know." Addison said softly. "And he loves you, which is more than I can claim. You didn't end my marriage, Hell _I _didn't even end my marriage, it's been over for a long time. You just made me see it."

Meredith nodded, not sure what to say. She wasn't sure if there was anything she _could _say. 

"Here's the case." Addison said, handing her the file, obviously not wanting to talk about it anymore than Meredith did.

Meredith took it, happy to distract herself, though she wasn't sure why Addison had insisted they work together, but...

* * *

Derek was on the phone with an architect that Richard had recommended. He wanted to start building a house on his land right a way, so that it was done by the time the baby came.

The baby. _His _baby. He had given up hope of having a child, and now he was having one... With Meredith, the woman who had woken him up and saved him from the dark hole he had been.

He had already called his lawyers, to prepare the papers. He was giving Addison all the property and splitting the other assets 50/50, he was willing to be completely fair. He didn't want to punish her anymore, he just wanted out. 

Besides, Derek knew that his new life was punishment enough, in fact it was crueller than Addison deserved. He had been given hope again, the chance at a bright and beautiful future, but Addison was being left with nothing. Just broken dreams and dashed hopes.

A vindictive part of him thought that she deserved it, but mostly he just felt bad for her. He had been married to Addison for eleven years, had held her as she cried when the fertility tests came back and their hopes were dashed for the final time, so he couldn't take pleasure in the pain she must be feeling.

Derek had to admit he felt ridiculously torn. Addison might be the devil, but she had been a big part of his life and it was hard to know that that was over forever.

But on the other hand, he had the most amazing future to look forward to and that made it all a little easier, as selfish as that might be.

* * *

Addison watched Meredith from a distance as she dealt with their patient.

She had requested Meredith as her intern out of a twisted sense of pride, because some part of her needed to get to know the woman who had stolen Derek's heart. The woman who was going to be the next Mrs. Derek Shepherd and the mother of his children.

Addison couldn't help staring, examining Meredith for any signs of her pregnancy, though she knew it was too early for their to be any outward signs.

"Why did you ask for me?"

Addison turned at the sound of Meredith's voice.

"Why did you request me?" The other woman asked again. "I know this must be as awkward for you as it is for me."

Addison sighed. "I need to get to know you." She said quietly. "I need to have a clear picture in my head, otherwise it's going to eat away at me for the rest of my life. I know it sounds crazy, but I need to know the woman who's going to have the life that was supposed to be mine."

Meredith was silent for a long time.

"I'm sure he told you what happened." Addison continued when she realized Meredith wasn't going to say anything. "But there's more than one side to any story, Meredith."

Addison took a deep breath and then sighed. "Not that it matters now, I guess."

Meredith just looked down. "I'm gonna go run her labs." She said after a moment, hurrying off.

Addison watched her go, not sure why she felt the need to explain herself to Meredith Grey. After all, it was too late for explanations, too late to try and salvage anything.

Her marriage was over.

* * *


	7. Part Six

Changes  
By Misha

_Disclaimer and Notes in Prologue.  
_  
Part Six

"Why did you do it?" Meredith asked quietly. It had been a long day and their patient, a pregnant woman who's husband had left her for his secretary, had been making her life miserable--knowing only the bare facts. That Meredith was the woman sleeping with Addison's husband and

Meredith hadn't felt the need to shed more light on the detail, because well, it was true and besides, it ws none of her business. But the treatment, plus Addison's comment had gotten her thinking and she realized that she really wanted an explanation.

"What?" Addison asked, looking at her.

"You said there's more than one side to the story." Meredith said quietly. "What's yours? What lead to you cheating on Derek?"

She couldn't even comprehend the idea. Derek was _Derek_, he was just so wonderful, why would any woman throw that away?

"Not here." Addison said quietly. "Will you come with me, go get some coffee?"

"Ok." Meredith said with a nod. "I can do that. Just let me get changed."

Addison nodded and Meredith made her way to the locker room, knowing that she needed to do this. She needed to have this conversation with Addison if she and Derek were ever going to have a stable life together.

Because she needed to be able to understand and besides, she thought that maybe Addison needed to explain it to someone, to have someone understand. Even if that someone was her, not Derek.

* * *

Addison looked at the woman sitting across the table from her. Derek's pretty blonde intern. The soon-to-be mother of his child.

"I can't have children." She said quietly, deciding it was best to come out with it. "I'm barren."

Meredith's eyes widened and she winced, her hand instinctively going to her stomach.

"You can't understand how devastating that news was." Addison said softly. "Derek and I had been married seven years by then, both had made names for ourselves in our fields and we were ready to have a family. We tried for two years before we finally went in for testing and they told us that Derek could have children, but I couldn't."

"I'm so sorry." Meredith said softly.

Addison nodded and continued with her story. "It's... It's one of the hardest things for a couple to hear." She said quietly. "I've delivered that news myself a thousand times and yet, hearing it on the other end... You're not prepared for what happens next, the way the world seems to fall apart in a moment."

Addison looked at Meredith, trying to fight her envy and resentment. It wasn't Meredith's fault. "Derek and I... After that, we didn't quite know what to do and we ended up drifting apart." Addison said softly. "Next thing I knew, two years had passed, and I barely knew my husband anymore. He was right there beside me, yet... He wasn't. He withdrew completely, it was his way of coping with the disappointment. He just kept getting more distant and I kept getting lonelier and Mark was there..."

"I'm sorry." Meredith said softly. "It must have been horrible to come here and be confronted with me. With the baby."

"Yes." Addison admitted, almost wishing she and Meredith had met in other circumstances. There was kindness and compassion to the other woman that Addison really admired. In other circumstances they might have been friends.

"But, it's not your fault. After all, you didn't even know I existed." Addison said, getting to her feet. "Besides, it always meant more to Derek than me and... Well, he'll be a great father."

With that, she turned and walked out of the restaurant, having said everything that needed to be said.

* * *

"Hey, where were you all day?" Derek asked, after a long day he'd gone back to the trailer, pleasantly surprised to see Meredith waiting there for him.

"Addison." Meredith said quietly. "She requested me as her intern and then we had coffee."

"You had coffee?" Derek asked, raising an eyebrow in surprise. "With Addison?" His estranged wife and his pregnant girlfriend sitting down to have coffee together, now there was a frightening picture.

"We talked." Meredith told him. "She told me... She told me her side of what went wrong." Meredith looked troubled. "It must have been hard for her to hear about the baby."

Derek nodded, there was a pang of regret for the callous way he had told Addison the news. "Yes."

"What happens next?" Meredith asked softly. "Where do we go from here?"

"Today I called an architect and my lawyer." Derek told him. "I'm building house here on the land and I'm divorcing Addison. It should be final long before the baby gets here, which gives us..."

"Don't." Meredith said softly. "Not now, please?"

Derek looked at her. "We met two months ago, Derek." Meredith said softly. "I love you and I know you love me and I know you love this baby, but... We need time before... Besides, maybe it's selfish, but I want it to be special."

Derek nodded, he could respect that. "You're everything, Meredith." He told her, leaning over to kiss her forehead. "I was drowning before I met you and you saved me and I can afford to wait, because I know we have a whole future ahead of us."

Meredith smiled up at him, a sweet, happy smile and he just took her in his arms, holding her close.

Derek could barely believe how happy she made him. She had opened a whole new world for him. She was his second chance.

* * *


	8. Part Seven

Changes  
By Misha

_Disclaimer and Notes in Prologue.  
_  
Part Seven

"I'm going to be a father." Derek announced. He had debated long and hard about calling home, but he had decided it couldn't be put off any longer. He also figured that just dropping the bombshell was the best way to go about it.

"What?!" His mother exclaimed, sounding stunned. "Addie's pregnant? But... I thought you two were separated? Derek, what in the world is going on?"

Derek sighed. He knew this part wouldn't be easy. He'd only talked to his mother once since coming to Seattle and it hadn't been a pleasant conversation.

"Mom, Addison and I are getting a divorce." He said quietly. "It's over. It has been for a long time even before... I met someone else here in Seattle. Her name is Meredith and I love her."

"And she's pregnant." His mother said calmly, but Derek could hear the ice in her voice.

"Yes." Derek confirmed. "She's pregnant. She didn't even know about Addison until a few days ago. I just... I couldn't tell her, I didn't want to ruin things."

His mother was silent, obviously waiting for him to go on.

"She told me she was pregnant and... I felt joy. Sheer joy. Happier than I had been in years." Derek said quietly. "I thought that door was slammed shut and suddenly there it was. Addison betrayed me and I was shattered, but then I met Meredith... And she saved me, she helped me breath again and then she gave me this wonderful gift."

"I want to meet her." His mother announced. "I want to meet the mother of my grandchild."

"Don't judge her, don't blame her." Derek warned. "Meredith's the innocent here. Addison cheated, Mark betrayed, I lied. Meredith just met a man in the bar, went home with him, fell in love and got pregnant with his baby. Not knowing that there was a reason not too."

"I won't judge." Rebecca Shepherd said finally, though Derek was sure it was hard for. After all, she had loved Addison and it would be hard for her to adjust to everything that was going on. "I suppose you don't want me to tell the girls."

"At least not Nancy and Kathleen." Derek said dryly, thinking of his two chattiest and most judgemental sisters. "As for Emma and Rachel..."

He knew that the two oldest of his sisters could be trusted to keep their mouths shut, but with news that juicy it would be hard and he didn't really want them to let something slip.

"I'll wait." Rebecca promised him. "You are going to have to tell them eventually, though, Derek."

"I know." He said with a gusty sigh. "I know."

"I'll be in Seattle in the morning." Rebecca said in a tone that brooked no argument.

"Okay." Derek agreed, knowing that it was a fight lost. Besides, at least she had promised not to tell his sisters, for now anyway. That was just a headache he didn't need right now.

* * *

"How are you feeling?" Meredith asked the Chief, when she went in to check on him.

It was the day after her conversation with Addison and she was still adjusting to everything she had learnt. Hell, she was still adjusting to everything that had happened in the last few days. So, she was working, figuring that was the best way to keep her mind off of, well, everything.

"I'm doing okay." He told her. "What about you? How are you feeling?"

"Pretty good." Meredith told him softly.

"It's not easy being a pregnant intern." Richard warned her. "You know that."

"I do know that." Meredith admitted. "I know better than most people the pitfalls of interns having babies."

After all, she should--she was one of those babies.

"Meredith, you're mother..." Richard started.

"Was a much better surgeon than she was a mother." Meredith said bluntly. "For a lot of years... I blamed that on her career, but it was just her. She would have been the same had she been a stay at home mother."

It was more honest than Meredith usually got, but Richard knew her mother, he understood her, perhaps more so than anyone else.

Meredith smiled warily. "I'm not my mother." She said quietly. "I can do this."

Richard nodded. "Whatever you need, if you need time off, if you need to take it easy. Just ask."

Meredith smiled, grateful for the offer, but uncomfortable at the same time. She hadn't wanted to do her internship at Seattle Grace simply because she didn't want special treatment, she wanted to make it all on her own. Except, her mother's health required coming to Seattle where being Ellis Grey's daughter set her apart and then she got knocked up by a married attending. Yeah, her chance at animoninity was shot.

"Meredith, Derek is a good man." Richard said quietly. "He and Addison... Well, I'm not sure what went wrong there, but... He wouldn't have walked away without reason."

Meredith nodded. "I know." She smiled nervously. "Well, I should leave you to recover, I just wanted to check in."

Richard nodded. "I appreciate the thought. I'll see you later, Meredith."

She nodded and walked out of the room. She could do this. She wouldn't become her mother. No, for her everything would work out.

* * *


	9. Part Eight

Changes  
By Misha

_Disclaimer and A.N in Prologue.  
_  
Part Eight

"Derek knocked up the intern." Addison announced over the phone.

"Oh, Addie..." Savvy said softly.

Addison had felt the desperate need to talk to her best friend, to get some comfort. Savvy had always been good for that. "It's really over, Sav." Addison said sadly. "My marriage is over."

"Do you want me to come to Seattle?" Savvy offered.

"No." Addison said. "Sav... I know you have a lot on your plate, with your mom." Savvy's mother was terminally ill with cancer and Addison knew that she didn't have long left.

"I'm sure she's hideous." Savvy said loyally. "The intern."

"No." Addison said, smiling slightly.

"A blonde bimbo?" Savvy offered.

"She's blonde." Addison said with a smile. "But not a bimbo. She's... Sweet and kind and there's something about her. She's not stunning, but captivating all the same. Its not surprising that he fell in love with her."

"Are you sure it's love?" Savvy asked softly. "I mean... It's only been two months, maybe he's confusing responsibility with love." 

"No." Addison sadly. "I know him, I know the way he looks when he's in love and he's in love with her. More so than he ever was with me."

"Oh, Addie..." Savvy said softly. "Are you sure you don't want me coming up there?"

"No." Addison told her friend. "Besides, I'm not staying. I'm finishing up my case her, staying until the neonatal specialist returns from vacation and then I'm going back to New York. Back where I belong."

There was nothing for her in Seattle, she had come to fight for her husband, but he was no logger hers to fight for her and there was nothing else for her. In fact, she couldn't wait to leave, go back to New York and leave behind Seattle with its rain and it's pregnant interns.

Only another week and then she was gone and nothing could convince her to ever come back there.

She was sure of it.

* * *

"My mother's coming."

Meredith looked at Derek in horror. "What?" She asked, hoping she had heard him wrong.

"My mother's coming to Seattle." Derek repeated. "She's going to be here tomorrow. She wants to meet you."

"You told your mother about me?" Meredith asked, feeling a little panic-stricken. She didn't really do families. After all, it was not like she'd ever had much of one to learn from.

"Yes." Derek said patiently. "I told my mother about you, about the divorce, about the baby."

"How did she take it?" Meredith asked quietly.

"It was a lot for her to take in." Derek said slowly. "She... She's always really liked Addison, so her betrayal came as a blow to her, and now the news of the divorce, but... I know she's going to love you."

Meredith smiled nervously. "I hope so."

She was terrified at the idea of meeting Derek's mother, his family, afraid that she wouldn't measure up, that she would never be able to be a good wife and mother.

"My sisters all have children." Derek told her quietly. "My mother was heartbroken when she realized that I was never going to have any. She never said anything, but I knew. You've changed that and that alone will mean a lot to my mother."

Meredith nodded slowly, sincerely hoping that Derek was right... Maybe, everything would be different from now on.

* * *

Derek watched Meredith sleep, just taking in every detail. This was the woman he loved, the mother of his child.

Derek knew, that even though Meredith wasn't ready to hear it yet, that he wanted her to be his wife. Of course, he had to get divorced first and he had to give Meredith time, but he knew what his end goal was.

He wanted everything and he wanted it with her. He wanted to marry her, he wanted to have more babies, and move into the perfect dream home he ws going to build on his land and live happily ever after.

He had wanted those things with Addison, but it hadn't happened and even at the beginning... Well, it had never felt quite like this, like he never needed anything else, just her and their life together. Yet, with Meredith...

This was a miracle and one he was going to thank God for every day. Somehow, he'd been lucky enough to have a second chance and he just hoped that Addison would be just as lucky.

* * *


	10. Part Nine

Changes  
By Misha

_Disclaimer and Notes in Prologue.  
_  
Part Nine

"My mother's coming to Seattle."

Addison froze at Derek's words. She turned around slowly to face her soon-to-be ex-husband. "Your mother?" She repeated in a squeaky voice, hoping she'd heard him wrong.

Great, this was just what she needed, to face the disapproval of Rebecca Shepherd, a woman she'd always felt very close too.

Derek nodded. "Yeah, I, uh..."

"Told her about the baby." Addison filled in for him. "And now she wants to meet Meredith."

It made sense, of course Rebecca would want to meet the woman who was going to have her grandchild.

"Yeah." Derek said quietly. "I told her not to tell my sisters yet, though, I don't want Meredith to have to endure that yet."

Addison chucked, despite herself. Derek's sister were a little... Intimidating. She remembered her first meeting with them, fourteen years ago... It had definitely been an experience, that was for sure.

"Afraid of exposing her to Nancy?" She asked, naming Derek's toughest sister.

Derek winced. "They love you." He said quietly. "And they're judgemental."

"They'll get over it." Addison told him. "She's providing another Shepherd offspring, that alone will smooth the tides. Hell, I'll be surprised if they don't offer to deify her for that miracle."

She knew she sounded bitter, but she couldn't help it. She'd wanted Derek's baby so badly, had felt the silent questions and recriminations and now had to face the fact that another woman so easily accomplished what she couldn't. She was allowed to be bitter.

"Thanks for the heads up." She said, after a long, awkward moment. "It would have been bad to be blind-sided by your mother."

"My mother loves you, Addy." Derek said quietly.

Addison smiled sadly, poor, misguided Derek. "Your mother loved me, as long as you did." She said quietly. "Now, she'll love Meredith."

With that, she turned and walked away, not wanting to hear Derek's protests. For fourteen years, she'd been part of the Shepherd family, but now she had to forfeit her spot and give it to some pretty little intern, just like everything else in her life.

Yeah, someone definitely hated her, that was for sure.

* * *


	11. Part Ten

Changes  
By Misha

_Disclaimer and Notes in Prologue.  
_  
Part Ten

"Mom, I'd like you to meet Meredith Grey." Derek said, wrapping his arm around Meredith as he said the words.

Meredith looked at the elegant older woman, who was giving her an appraising look and felt her stomach churn. She was not looking forward to this, she didn't do well with inspections.

"Mer, this is my mother, Rebecca Shepherd." Derek continued, motioning to the woman.

"Mrs. Shepherd." Meredith said politely.

"Call me Rebecca." The older woman told her. "After all, you're having my grandchild, we should at least be on a first name basis."

Meredith forced a smile. "Thank you, Rebecca."

She wondered what Addison had called the other woman, probably 'Mom'. She was sure Addison had been the beloved daughter-in-law, while she was just the slutty intern Derek had accidentally knocked up.

"So Meredith, are you from Seattle?" Rebecca asked after a moment.

"I was born here." Meredith answered. "I believe my father was from here originally and that he's still here, but I was raised in Boston."

She saw Rebecca's eyes shoot up when she admitted not knowing where her father lived.

"My parents divorced when I was 5." She said awkwardly. "My mother got full custody. I haven't seen my father since." She figured it was easier to just put it out there like that.

"That must have been rough." Rebecca said after a long silence. "Are you and your mother close?"

"No." Meredith told her. Even before Ellis had gotten sick, their relationship hadn't been an ideal one and now... Now, there was just no reason to even pretend. "We're not. She wasn't around much. I still exchange Christmas cards with my nanny, though."

She didn't know why she was being so... Difficult, maybe just the idea that she had to compete with Addison, with the history and affection. She could see Derek wincing and felt bad, but she couldn't help it. She didn't do families, at least not very well.

To her surprise, Rebecca's face softened. "That must have been very hard. What did your mother do?"

"She was a surgeon." Meredith said and watched Rebecca's eyebrows shoot up. "She was an intern when I was born, now I'm really following in her footsteps. But I'm going to be better. She might be a medical legend, but I'm going to be a good mother."

She was saying it to herself as much as to Derek's mother. She wasn't going to be her mother. She was going to be better.

"I'm sure you will, dear." Rebecca told her. "And I'll do anything I can to help you."

The words were accompanied by a smile and Meredith could tell she was sincere.

It was a start, at least. Maybe things wouldn't be terrible with Derek's family. Possibly. She could hope, right?

* * *


End file.
